Chart Pattana Head Tawee Launches Satun Political Institute, Reveals Exam Fraud
Chart Pattana Party leader Pol. Lt. Gen. Tawee Sodsong launched a political institute in Satun, promoting the province as a multicultural model for the deep south. He exposed a corruption scandal in local government exams where 5,960 scores were allegedly altered for bribes, and called for reforms to the student loan system and new protections for platform workers. The party also announced plans to contest Satun's parliamentary seats in the next election.
Pol. Lt. Gen. Tawee Sodsong, Chart Pattana Party leader, visited Satun province to launch a political institute designed to draw citizens into the democratic process. At the Be High Hill Resort in Khuan Kalong district, he chaired the opening of a training course on promoting political participation in a democracy. Party-list MP Faizal Lasman reported on the event, which featured speakers such as former Pattani MP Assoc. Prof. Dr. Warawit Baroo on religion in politics, along with practical workshops.
In a keynote address, Tawee cited happiness surveys showing that the happiest provinces are not those with the highest GDP per capita. He noted that Rayong, despite high income, suffers from industrial pollution and informal debt, while Trang, Ranong, and Satun rank among the top 20 happiest provinces. He held up Satun — with a Muslim majority higher than Yala's — as proof that multicultural coexistence and respect for justice can prevent the conflict seen in the deep south's three border provinces.
As chair of the House committee on law, justice, and human rights, Tawee revealed that an investigation into local government entrance exams uncovered score tampering affecting 5,960 candidates. The exams, previously run by Burapha University without incident for over 800,000 test-takers, were suddenly reassigned, creating opportunities for fraud. Officials allegedly accepted bribes to alter failing scores to passing ones. The committee has summoned senior officials for explanation, calling it a national loss because children of ordinary citizens, many burdened by student loans, are cheated out of legitimate public-service careers.
Tawee also highlighted Thailand's poor showing on the World Justice Project Rule of Law Index, scoring only 0.51 out of 1.0 on legislative checks on executive power. He demanded reform of the Student Loan Fund to stop saddling graduates with debt, and urged passage of a platform-worker protection act. He declared the Chart Pattana Party ready to field candidates for Satun's parliamentary seats in the next general election, expected on November 14, 2026.
